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Sun Apr 24 04:23:07 EDT 2011
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Becoming a vampire without being bitten: A new study shows that reading expands our self-concepts - "We read to know we are not alone," wrote C.S. Lewis. But how do books make us feel we are not alone?

IADR/AADR Journal of Dental Research releases studies on oral health inequalities in older people - The International and American Associations for Dental Research (IADR/AADR) have published two studies about oral health inequalities in older people and low income individuals. These articles, titled "Income-related Inequalities in Dental Service Utilization by Europeans Aged 50+" by Stefan Listl, and "Income Inequality and Tooth Loss in the United States" by Eduardo Bernabe and Wagner Marcenes, are published in the Journal of Dental Research, the official publication of the IADR/AADR.

Effect of cloud-scattered sunlight on earth's energy balance depends on wavelength of light - Atmospheric scientists trying to pin down how clouds curb the amount of sunlight available to warm the earth have found that it depends on the wavelength of sunlight being measured. This unexpected result will help researchers improve how they portray clouds in climate models.

SDSC to venture capitalists: Data-intensive supercomputing is here - The exponentially increasing amount of digital information, along with new challenges in storing valuable data and massive datasets, are changing the architecture of today's newest supercomputers as well as how researchers will use them to accelerate scientific discovery, said Michael Norman, director of the San Diego Supercomputer Center at the University of California, San Diego.

Seafloor recovery from fishing gear impacts in Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary slow, unstable - The University of Connecticut and California State University researchers found that seafloor communities in a restricted fishing area in NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary showed indications of recovery from chronic fishing gear impacts but is not fully stable.

Over range of ADHD behavior, genes major force on reading achievement, environment on math - Researchers found that genes and environment both play a role in ADHD behavior and troubles with reading and math. But genes more so with reading, and the environment more so with math.

Penn research using frog embryos leads to new understanding of cardiac development - During embryonic development, cells migrate to their eventual location in the adult body plan and begin to differentiate into specific cell types. Thanks to new research at the University of Pennsylvania, there is new insight into how these processes regulate tissues formation in the heart.

Signaling pathway reveals mechanism for B cell differentiation in immune response - An article in Science Signaling by researchers at the RIKEN Research Center for Allergy and Immunology (RCAI) has clarified for the first time the mechanism governing differentiation of B cells into antibody-producing plasma cells. The finding establishes a role for the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway in B cell differentiation, a key step toward the development of B cell-targeted drugs for treatment of autoimmune diseases and allergies.

TGen findings contribute to understanding of diabetic kidney disease - A gene called PVT1 may help reduce the kidneys ability to filter blood, leading to kidney disease, kidney failure and death, according to a study published today by researchers at the Translational Genomics Research Institute.

Scotland's first marine reserve already producing benefits - Scotland's first fully protected marine reserve, and only the second in the UK, is already providing commercial and conservation benefits, according to new research.After only two years in operation, it is already showing positive signs for both fishermen and conservationists, according to a study by the University of York and the Community of Arran Seabed Trust.

New approach to defeating flu shows promise - New research on mice has shown that pulmonary administration of granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) significantly reduces flu symptoms and prevents death after a lethal dose influenza virus. While GM-SCF therapy for humans as a flu prophylaxis or treatment may be years away, the study results were striking: All of the mice treated with GM-SCF survived after being infected with the influenza virus, whereas untreated mice all died from the same infection.

Optical microscope without lenses produces high-resolution 3-D images on a chip - UCLA researchers have redesigned the concept of a microscope, by removing the lens, to create a system small enough to fit in the palm of a hand, but powerful enough to create 3-D tomographic, or sectional, images of miniscule samples. The advance, published online this week in PNAS, represents the first demonstration of lens-free optical tomographic imaging on a chip, a technique capable of producing high resolution 3-D images of large volumes of microscopic objects.

Liver-cell transplants show promise in reversing genetic disease affecting liver and lungs - Transplanting cells from healthy adult livers may work in treating a genetic liver-lung disorder that affects millions of people worldwide, according to an animal study in the April 18 online edition of the Journal of Clinical Investigation. Jayanta Roy-Chowdhury, M.D., professor of medicine and of genetics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, is the study's senior author.

UGA compound offers new hope for treatment of painful adult shingles - Researchers at the University of Georgia and Yale University have discovered a compound with the potential to be more effective than existing agents in treating the very painful blisters known as shingles -- a condition that affects up to 30 percent of Americans, mostly elderly, and for which no specific treatment exists.

Fossil sirenians give scientists new look at ancient climate - What tales they tell of their former lives, these old bones of sirenians, relatives of today's dugongs and manatees. And now, geologists have found, they tell of the waters in which they swam.While researching the evolutionary ecology of ancient sirenians -- commonly known as sea cows--scientist Mark Clementz and colleagues unexpectedly stumbled across data that could change the view of climate during the Eocene Epoch, some 50 million years ago.

Researchers create functioning synapse using carbon nanotubes - Engineering researchers at the University of Southern California have made a significant breakthrough in the use of nanotechnologies for the construction of a synthetic brain. They have built a carbon nanotube synapse circuit whose behavior in tests reproduces the function of a neuron, the building block of the brain.

Are dietary supplements working against you? - Do you belong to the one-half of the population that frequently uses dietary supplements with the hope that it might be good for you?

Purdue-led team studies Earth's recovery from prehistoric global warming - The Earth may be able to recover from rising carbon dioxide emissions faster than previously thought, according to evidence from a prehistoric. When faced with high levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide and rising temperatures 56 million years ago, the Earth increased its ability to pull carbon from the air. This led to a recovery that was quicker than anticipated by many models of the carbon cycle.

Carnegie Mellon researchers build time machine to visually explore space and time - Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute have leveraged the latest browser technology to create GigaPan Time Machine, a system that enables viewers to explore gigapixel-scale, high-resolution videos and image sequences by panning or zooming in and out of the images while simultaneously moving back and forth through time.

Deaths from drug overdose decline 35 percent after the opening of supervised injection site - Illicit drug overdose deaths declined dramatically after the establishment of North America's first supervised injection facility located in Vancouver, Canada. In the first peer-reviewed study to assess the impact of supervised injection sites on overdose mortality, researchers observed a 35 percent reduction in overdose deaths in the immediate vicinity of a pilot injection facility.

Scientists engineer nanoscale vaults to encapsulate 'nanodisks' for drug delivery - The first steps toward the development of the vault nanoparticle into a versatile and effective DDS are reported in this paper. The ability to encapsulate therapeutic compounds into the vault is a critical and fundamental obstacle in their development for small-molecule drug delivery. Recombinant vaults are engineered to encapsulate the highly insoluble and toxic hydrophobic compound all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) using a vault-binding lipoprotein complex that forms a lipid bilayer nanodisk.

Study in roundworm chromosomes may offer new clues to tumor genome development - Research led by UNC School of Medicine scientists finds that a "promiscuous DNA replication process" may be responsible for large-scale genome duplications in developing tumors. These findings challenge the long-standing, currently accepted model.

Data miners dig for corrosion resistance - A better understanding of corrosion resistance may be possible using a data-mining tool, according to Penn State material scientists. This tool may also aid research in other areas where massive amounts of information exist.

Early warning system for Alzheimer's disease - Scientists at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow are developing a technique based on a new discovery which could pave the way towards detecting Alzheimer's disease in its earliest stages - and could help to develop urgently-needed treatments.The technique uses the ratio of detected fluorescence signals to indicate that clusters of peptide associated with the disease are beginning to gather and to have an impact on the brain.

MIT: Development in fog harvesting process - Shreerang Chhatre is an engineer and aspiring entrepreneur at MIT who works on fog harvesting, the deployment of devices that, like the beetle, attract water droplets and corral the runoff. This way, poor villagers could collect clean water near their homes, instead of spending hours carrying water from distant wells or streams.

Severe obesity not seen to increase risk of depression in teens - According to a new study, severely obese adolescents are no more likely to be depressed than normal weight peers. The study did find that white adolescents may be somewhat more vulnerable to psychological effects of obesity.

Scientists observe single gene activity in living cells - Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have for the first time observed the activity of a single gene in living cells. In an unprecedented study, published in the April 22 online edition of Science, Einstein scientists were able to follow, in real time, the process of gene transcription, which occurs when a gene converts its DNA information into molecules of messenger RNA that go on to make the protein coded by the gene.

Berkeley Lab study finds that photovoltaic systems boost the sales price of California homes - New research by the US Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory finds strong evidence that homes with solar photovoltaic (PV) systems sell for a premium over homes without solar systems. The Berkeley Lab research is the first to empirically explore the existence and magnitude of residential PV sales price impacts across a large number of homes and over a wide geographic area.

Simple fungus reveals clue to immune system protection - A discovery by Johns Hopkins scientists about how a single-celled fungus survives in low-oxygen settings may someday help humans whose immune systems are compromised by organ transplants or AIDS.

Acupuncture relieves hot flashes from prostate cancer treatment - Acupuncture provides long-lasting relief to hot flashes, heart palpitations and anxiety due to side effects of the hormone given to counteract testosterone, the hormone that induces prostate cancer, according to a study published in the April issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology•Biology•Physics, an official journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology.

Phase 3 trial finds no benefit from atrasentan added to chemo for advanced prostate cancer - The NCI-supported SWOG trial S0421 closed early based on interim finding that atrasentan added to docetaxel and prednisone did not confer additional survival benefit to patients with advanced hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

Religion continues to impact voter decision, MU study finds - Church attendance in western democracies has declined; yet, a new University of Missouri study shows religious beliefs still influence people at the polls.

Meditation may help the brain 'turn down the volume' on distractions - The positive effects of mindfulness meditation on pain and working memory may result from an improved ability to regulate a crucial brain wave called the alpha rhythm. This rhythm is thought to "turn down the volume" on distracting information, which suggests that a key value of meditation may be helping the brain deal with an often overstimulating world.

Parasite strategy offers insight to help tackle sleeping sickness - Fresh insight into the survival strategy of the parasite that causes sleeping sickness could help inform new treatments for the disease.

Salmonella utilize multiple modes of infection - Scientists from the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research in Braunschweig, Germany, have discovered a new, hitherto unknown mechanism of Salmonella invasion into gut cells: In this entry mode, the bacteria exploit the muscle power of cells to be pulled into the host cell cytoplasm. Thus, the strategies Salmonella use to infect cells are more complex than previously thought.

Lawn of native grasses beats traditional lawn for lushness, weed resistance - A lawn of regionally native grasses would take less resources to maintain while providing as lush a carpet as a common turfgrass used in the South, according to a study by ecologists at The University of Texas at Austin's Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

New technique improves sensitivity of PCR pathogen detection - A new procedure devised by US Department of Agriculture scientists and colleagues can improve polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods of detecting plant disease organisms.

Happiest places have highest suicide rates says new research - The happiest countries and happiest US states tend to have the highest suicide rates, according to research from the UK's University of Warwick, Hamilton College in New York and the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.

Evolution can cause a rapid reduction in genome size - Despite being closely related to the lyre-leaved rock cress, the thale cress has a considerably smaller genome.

Standing up for athletes at risk - A Tel Aviv University cardiologist has developed a new, inexpensive test for "sudden death syndrome" that's already being used by doctors in America -- and it can be done at the patient's bedside.

What do you know about that fracture? - A fracture in a person over the age of 50 can be a sign of osteoporosis, yet some patient populations have little knowledge of the disease.

EPO doping helps combat cerebral malaria - Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have now discovered that EPO, the doping drug known from professional cycling, can significantly reduce cerebral malaria related deaths.

Researchers find fat turns into soap in sewers, contributes to overflows - Researchers from North Carolina State University have discovered how fat, oil and grease can create hardened deposits in sewer lines: it turns into soap! The hardened deposits, which can look like stalactites, contribute to sewer overflows.

Caltech: Learning to tolerate our microbial self - The human gut is filled with 100 trillion symbiotic bacteria which we blissfully live with, although they have many features similar to infectious bacteria we react against. What decides whether we ignore -- or fight? In the case of a common "friendly" gut bacterium, Bacteroides fragilis, Caltech researchers have discovered the surprising answer: The decision is not made by us, but by the bacteria, who co-opt cells of the immune system for our benefit ... and theirs.

Antidepressants may not improve all symptoms of depression, UT Southwestern researchers find - Even people who show a clear treatment response with antidepressant medications continue to experience symptoms like insomnia, sadness and decreased concentration, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found after analyzing data from the largest study on the treatment of depression.

Researchers identify genes causing antimalarial drug resistance - Using a pair of powerful genome-search techniques, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), Harvard University, and the Broad Institute have identified several genes that may be implicated in the malaria parasite's notorious ability to rapidly evade drug treatments.

In time for spring, biologist illuminates how seedlings regulate growth - All kinds of organisms, from plants to people, regulate growth via networks of proteins that add on and lop off phosphate molecules. In a new study, Brown professor Alison DeLong explains key steps that allow seedlings to make it past the surface of the soil.

Giant tortoises show rewilding can work - Exotic species can be used to restore important functions in ecosystems that were lost following the extinction of key species, according to a new study of giant tortoises on a small island in the Indian Ocean. The study was carried out by an international team of researchers led by the University of Bristol.

Columbia engineering study links ozone hole to climate change all the way to the equator - In a study in the April 21 issue of Science, researchers at Columbia University's School of Engineering and Applied Science report their findings that the ozone hole, which is located over the South Pole, has affected the entire circulation of the Southern Hemisphere all the way to the equator. This is the first time that ozone depletion, an upper atmospheric phenomenon confined to the polar regions, has been linked to climate change from the Pole to the equator.

Bacteria interrupted: Disabling coordinated behavior and virulence gene expression - New research reveals a strategy for disrupting the ability of bacteria to communicate and coordinate the expression of virulence factors. The study, published by Cell Press in the April 22 issue of the journal Molecular Cell, may lead to the development of new antibacterial therapeutics.

A new ending to an old 'tail' - In stark contrast to normal cells, which only divide a finite number of times before they enter into a permanent state of growth arrest or simply die, cancer cells never cease to proliferate. Now, scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have uncovered an important clue to one of the mechanisms underlying cancer cell immortality.

Say hello to cheaper hydrogen fuel cells - Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists have developed a way to avoid the use of expensive platinum in hydrogen fuel cells, the environmentally friendly devices that might replace current power sources in everything from personal data devices to automobiles.In a paper published today in Science, Los Alamos researchers Gang Wu, Christina Johnston, and Piotr Zelenay, joined by researcher Karren More of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, describe the use of a platinum-free catalyst in the cathode of a hydrogen fuel cell.

Prenatal exposure to common insecticide linked to decreases in cognitive functioning at age 7 - Researchers from the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health at the Mailman School of Public Health report evidence of a link between prenatal exposure to the insecticide chlorpyrifos and deficits in IQ and working memory at age seven. This is the first study to evaluate the neurotoxicity of prenatal chlorpyrifos exposure on cognitive development at the time of school entry.

Use of topical corticosteroids in children with eczema does not have negative side effects - A new study published in the journal Pediatric Dermatology reveals that routine, long-term use of topical corticosteroids for treating children with eczema does not cause any significant, negative side effects.

Kidney disease coupled with heart disease common problem in elderly - Patients on peritoneal dialysis typically have a higher early survival rate than patients on hemodialysis (HD). New data suggest that this difference may be explained by a higher risk of early deaths among patients undergoing HD with central venous catheters, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

Prenatal pesticide exposure tied to lower IQ in children - A new UC Berkeley study has found that prenatal exposure to organophosphate pesticides -- widely used on food crops -- is related to lower intelligence scores in children. Every tenfold increase in measures of organophosphates detected during a mother's pregnancy corresponded to a 5.5 point drop in overall IQ scores in children at age 7, the researchers found.

Prenatal exposure to certain pesticides may negatively impact cognitive development in children - Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have found that exposure during pregnancy to a family of pesticides called organophosphates may impair child cognitive development. The findings are published online in Environmental Health Perspectives.

Subset of self-destructive immune cells may selectively drive diabetes - New research identifies a distinctive population of immune cells that may play a key role in the pathogenesis of diabetes. The research, published by Cell Press and available online in the April 21 issue of Immunity, sheds new light on the pathogenesis of diabetes and may lead to the development of new more selective therapeutic strategies for diabetes and other autoimmune diseases of the accessory organs of the digestive system.

Kidney disease coupled with heart disease common problem in elderly - Chronic kidney disease is common and linked with heart disease in the very elderly, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology.

Drug effective in treating kidney disease in diabetic patients - Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Mayo Clinic have published promising results of a clinical study using an experimental anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory drug called pirfenidone to treat patients with diabetic nephropathy.

USC research shows critical role of placenta in brain development - Research at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California's Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute shows for the first time that the human placenta plays an active role in synthesizing serotonin, paving the way to new treatment strategies that could mitigate health impacts such as cardiovascular disease and mental illness.

Discovery identifies elaborate G-protein network in plants - "The next step will be to try and engineer plants to express altered amounts of these G-proteins to see how they affect their overall growth and can enable them to better respond to stresses that may be involved in limiting crop yield," Pandey said.

Entrepreneurship urged to stimulate the economy - Economists have been pointing to the growth in entrepreneurship and small business hiring as two ways the US economy can speed the recovery process. In his first ever Facebook town hall meeting, President Obama expanded upon this search for economic solutions as part of the White House's "Startup America" initiative. Recent articles show that researchers not only support these notions, but also break them down for the nation and the world.

Musical activity may improve cognitive aging - A study conducted by Brenda Hanna-Pladdy, Ph.D., a clinical neuropsychologist in Emory's Department of Neurology, and cognitive psychologist Alicia MacKay, Ph.D., found that older individuals who spent a significant amount of time throughout life playing a musical instrument perform better on some cognitive tests.

Starting a new metabolic path - JBEI researchers have demonstrated a new technique that speeds up and improves the identification and quantification of proteins within a cell or micoorganism. Called "targeted proteomics," the new technique is expected to be an important new tool for the fields of metabolic engineering and synthetic biology.

Worm studies shed light on human cancers - Research in the worm is shedding light on a protein associated with a number of different human cancers, and may point to a highly targeted way to treat them.

Researchers construct RNA nanoparticles to safely deliver long-lasting therapy to cells - Though RNA is viewed as a promising tool in nanotherapy, the difficulties of producing stable and long-lasting therapeutic RNA have posed challenges to research. In the journal Molecular Therapy, University of Cincinnati biomedical engineering professor Peixuan Guo, Ph.D., details the successful production of large RNA nanoparticles from smaller RNA segments. The nanoparticles had a half life of between five and 10 hours in animal models and targeted cancer cells in vivo to release therapeutics.

GOES-13 sees an extraordinarily early Atlantic low in the tropics - Hurricane season doesn't start in the Northern Atlantic Ocean until June 1, but a low pressure system in doesn't seem to want to follow the calendar. There's a low pressure area with a small chance for development north-northeast of Puerto Rico, and the GOES-13 satellite captured a visible image of the storm.

Citizens United case unlikely to end corporate speech debate - University of Illinois law professor Larry E. Ribstein says the US Supreme Court's 5-to-4 ruling in favor of corporate speech has sparked a furor among pundits and the public that has shown little signs of slowing down.

Presenting cancer treatment options in small doses yields smarter choices - Women who choose among different breast cancer treatment options make smarter choices when getting the information and making decisions in small doses rather than all at once, as is customary, a University of Michigan study found.

Does video game violence harm teens? New study weighs the evidence - How much scientific evidence is there for and against the assertion that exposure to video game violence can harm teens? Three researchers have developed a novel method to consider that question: they analyzed the research output of experts who filed a brief in a US Supreme Court case involving violent video games and teens.

Ring around the hurricanes: Satellites can predict storm intensity - Coastal residents may soon have longer warning when a storm headed in their direction is becoming a hurricane, thanks to a University of Illinois study demonstrating how to use existing satellites to monitor tropical storm dynamics and predict sudden surges in strength. Using passive microwave satellites, the researchers found that low-shear storm systems form a symmetrical ring of thunderstorms around the center of the system about six hours before rapidly intensifying into a hurricane.

Primordial weirdness: Did the early universe have 1 dimension? - Did the early universe have just one spatial dimension? That's the mind-boggling concept at the heart of a theory that University at Buffalo physicist Dejan Stojkovic and colleagues proposed in 2010.

What's your intestinal bacteria type? - As partners in the international research consortium named MetaHit, scientists from the University of Copenhagen have contributed to show that an individual's intestinal bacteria flora, regardless of nationality, gender and age, organizes itself in certain clusters.

New data shows half of all children with autism wander and bolt from safe places - The Interactive Autism Network, the nation's largest online autism research project, reveals the preliminary results of the first major survey on wandering and elopement among individuals with autism spectrum disorders, and announces the launch of a new research survey on the association between pregnancy factors and autism. The wandering and elopement survey found that approximately half of parents of children with autism report that their child elopes, with the behavior peaking at age four.

30th annual survey shows Houstonians upbeat about city's future - Klineberg said that as a city at the forefront of the country's demographic revolution, Houston offers a glimpse into America's future, and the survey's assessment of the city may offer important lessons for strengthening the rest of the country

Researchers combine active proteins with material derived from fruit fly - The new work from the Rice lab of biochemist Kathleen Matthews, in collaboration with former Rice faculty fellow and current Texas A&M assistant professor Sarah Bondos, simplifies the process of making materials with fully functional proteins.

Evolution of human 'super-brain' tied to development of bipedalism, tool-making - Scientists seeking to understand the origin of the human mind may want to look to honeybees -- not ancestral apes -- for at least some of the answers, according to a University of Colorado Boulder archaeologist.

Air pollution exposure affects chances of developing premenopausal breast cancer - Exposure to air pollution early in life and when a woman gives birth to her first child may alter her DNA and may be associated with pre-menopausal breast cancer later in life, researchers at the University at Buffalo have shown.

Biological links found between childhood abuse and adolescent depression - Queen's University psychology professor Kate Harkness has found that a history of physical, sexual or emotional abuse in childhood substantially increases the risk of depression in adolescence by altering a person's neuroendocrine response to stress.

Protein and calories can help lessen effects of severe traumatic brain injury - To help alleviate the effects of severe traumatic brain injury, the US Department of Defense should ensure that all military personnel with this type of injury receive adequate protein and calories immediately after the trauma and through the first two weeks of treatment, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine.

Laser sparks revolution in internal combustion engines - For more than 150 years, spark plugs have powered internal combustion engines. Automakers are now one step closer to being able to replace this long-standing technology with laser igniters, which will enable cleaner, more efficient, and more economical vehicles. At this year's Conference on Lasers and Electro Optics, in Baltimore May 1-6, researchers from Japan will describe the first multibeam laser system small enough to screw into an engine's cylinder head.

Ends of chromosomes protected by stacked, coiled DNA caps - Researchers are delving into the details of the complex structure at the ends of chromosomes. Recent work, e-published in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology last month, describes how these structures, called telomeres, can be protected by caps made up of specialized proteins and stacks of DNA called G-quadruplexes, or "G4 DNA."

Functional MRI shows how mindfulness meditation changes decision-making process - Neuroimaging research shows that Buddhist meditators use different areas of the brain than other people when confronted with unfair choices, enabling them to make decisions rationally rather than emotionally.

Pulse oximetry training video by BMC anesthesiologist published in NEJM - A pulse oximetry training video produced by Rafael Ortega, M.D., the vice-chair of academic affairs for the department of anesthesiology at Boston Medical Center and professor of anesthesiology at Boston University School of Medicine, and his colleagues is featured in this week's New England Journal of Medicine.

Genetic discovery good news/bad news for patients with pulmonary fibrosis - The Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis and the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation applaud the efforts of scientists that led to the discovery of a genetic variation associated with the MUC5B gene which may increase the risk of developing pulmonary fibrosis. The two patient organizations partner with National Jewish Health, which led the team of researchers in the study, on a genetic counseling line.

Society of Interventional Radiology addresses radiation safety, advances best practices - The Society of Interventional Radiology has a long-term commitment to radiation safety and takes the lead in promoting the safety of patients and health care professionals. Four articles, published this month in the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, illustrate SIR's frontline stance on facets of patient safety and standards of care to protect both patients and the diagnostic and interventional radiologist.

Nature's elegant solution to repairing DNA in cancer, other conditions - A major discovery about an enzyme's structure has opened a window on understanding DNA repair. Scientists at Duke University Medical Center have determined the structure of a nuclease that will help scientists to understand several DNA repair pathways, a welcome development for cancer research.

Quest for new plant protection substances mirrors search for new drugs - The costly, often-frustrating quest for new ways of preventing and treating diseases that strike vegetables, fruits, and other food crops bears striking similarity to the better-known saga of the pharmaceutical industry's pricey search for new drugs for humans. That's the topic of an article in the current edition of Chemical & Engineering News, ACS' weekly news magazine.

Toward new medications for chronic brain diseases - A needle-in-the-haystack search through nearly 390,000 chemical compounds had led scientists to a substance that can sneak through the protective barrier surrounding the brain with effects promising for new drugs for Parkinson's and Huntington's disease. They report on the substance, which blocks formation of cholesterol in the brain, in the journal, ACS Chemical Biology.

Using the energy in oil shale without releasing carbon dioxide in a greenhouse world - New technology that combines production of electricity with capture of carbon dioxide could make billions of barrels of oil shale -- now regarded as off-limits because of the huge amounts of carbon dioxide released in its production -- available as an energy source in a greenhouse world of the future. That's the conclusion of a report on "electricity production with in situ carbon capture" in ACS' journal Energy & Fuels.

New battery produces electricity where freshwater meets saltwater - Scientists are reporting development of a new battery that extracts and stores energy produced from the difference in saltiness at the point where freshwater in rivers flows into oceans. A report on the battery, which could supply about 13 percent of the world's energy needs, appears in ACS' journal Nano Letters.

Childhood music lessons may provide lifelong boost in brain functioning - Those childhood music lessons could pay off decades later -- even for those who no longer play an instrument -- by keeping the mind sharper as people age, according to a preliminary study published by the American Psychological Association.

Study group looks at the future of corporate boards - A 20-member blue-ribbon panel, the Study Group on Corporate Boards, co-sponsored by Columbia Business School and the John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware, today released "Bridging Board Gaps," a report designed to improve board performance and effectiveness by offering a series of recommendations in critical areas of governance.

Strong protection for weak passwords - The combination of simple codes and Captchas, which are even more encrypted using a chaotic process, produces effective password protection.

Breastfeeding tied to stronger maternal response to baby's cry - A new study from the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry finds that mothers who feed their babies breast milk exclusively, as opposed to formula, are more likely to bond emotionally with their child during the first few months after delivery. The breastfeeding mothers surveyed for the study showed greater responses to their infant's cry in brain regions related to caregiving behavior and empathy than mothers who relied upon formula as the baby's main food source.

MicroRNA mediates gene-diet interaction related to obesity - Tufts University researchers observed that a genetic variant on the perilipin 4 (PLIN4) locus was associated with an increased risk of obesity yet, carriers with higher omega-3 fatty acid intakes tended to weigh less than carriers who consumed little or no omega-3 fatty acids. Furthermore, the researchers identified a microRNA which may help elucidate the mechanism behind the gene-diet interaction.

How TRIM5 fights HIV - Thanks to a certain protein, rhesus monkeys are resistant to HIV. Known as TRIM5, the protein prevents the HI virus from multiplying once it has entered the cell. Researchers from the universities of Geneva and Zurich have now discovered the protein's mechanism, as they report in Nature. This also opens up new prospects for fighting HIV in humans.

A galactic rose highlights Hubble's 21st anniversary - In celebration of the 21st anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope's deployment into space, astronomers pointed Hubble at an especially photogenic group of interacting galaxies called Arp 273.

Rotten meat doesn't stand a chance - When it comes to packaged fish or meat, it is nearly impossible to distinguish between fresh goods and their inedible counterparts. Researchers have now developed a sensor film that can be integrated into the package itself, where it takes over the role of quality control. And if the food has spoiled, it changes color to announce the fact.